Waterbrook Winery 2012 Mélange Blanc

Winemaker John Freeman continues to knock this great sipper out of the park as he’d had this blend earn our top rating more than once in the past several years. He gathered up Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier and Muscat from a handful of top vineyards — including Sagemoor and The Benches at Wallula Gap. An array of aromatics brings out notes of rosewater, orange oil, apricot, melon, pear, lime juice and minerality. There’s a clean and yummy delivery of pineapple, apricot and tangerine flavors, backed by clove and a bit of apple peel bitterness in the finish to balance the residual sugar (2 percent). Rated "Outstanding" by Great Northwest Wine. (13.5 percent alcohol)